Faded love 18

Chapter 18 

“I don’t want it!” 

He grabbed my wrist. 

“What do you want, Wendy? 

Revenge-or redemption?” 

“I want you out of my life!” 

I screamed. 

He laughed, voice raw. 

“Then the only reason you’re alive 

is to drive me insane.” 

That broke me. 

I lifted my hand and slapped him again— 

hard. 

Tears blurred my vision. 

“I hate you, Rory! I hate you!” 

He stood there, motionless. 

Then, after a long silence, 

he laughed quietly. 

“You finally said my name.” 

The flashes went off like lightning. 

Reporters shouted, cameras clicking wildly. 

And I knew- 

the chase was over. 

I had died once. 

Now he had dragged me back to life. 

But this time, 

I’d rather fall again- 

than be saved by him. 

That night, 

my name still rolled across every screen. 

He sat in his car, watching. 

11:36 Sat, Oct 18 

In his hand- 

the old letter. 

“I died the day you signed, not the night of the crash.” 

He smiled faintly. 

“See? You still died by my hand.” 

Rain struck the window. 

He whispered, 

“Then I’ll die with you.” 

I didn’t remember how I was taken away. 

Camera flashes burned my eyes, 

reporters’ voices clawed at my ears- 

“Mrs. Zhou, why did you fake your death?” 

“Was it for the inheritance?” 

“Did Mr. Zhou know?” 

Hands grabbed at my arm. 

I tried to fight them off- 

until that familiar voice cut through the chaos. 

“Don’t move.” 

It was him. 

Rory’s hand closed around my shoulder, 

shielding me with his body. 

“She’s unwell,” he said coldly. 

“All statements will be released later.” 

His tone allowed no argument. 

The car door shut, 

and the noise outside vanished. 

Only the two of us remained. 

I leaned against the window, trembling. 

“Happy now?” 

My voice was barely there. 

“The whole world knows I’m alive.” 

Chapter 10. 

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11:36 Sat, Oct 18 

He didn’t look at me. 

“It’s the truth,” he said. 

I laughed bitterly. 

“The truth? 

: 

The truth is I should’ve died on that operating table.” 

He turned then, 

his eyes dark as night. 

“I wouldn’t allow it.” 

“You wouldn’t allow it?” 

I almost laughed. 

“Do you want to own even my death?” 

He said nothing. 

Only reached out, 

fingers brushing away a tear from my cheek. 

His fingertips were cold-like steel. 

“Wendy,” he whispered, 

“don’t cry anymore.” 

I slapped his hand away. 

“You have no right to call me that.” 

Something shattered in his gaze. 

“Fine,” he said quietly. 

“Then come home.” 

The car stopped before a familiar gate. 

The villa. 

Three years ago, I left here in an ambulance. 

Now, he had brought me back- 

like a ghost being summoned to her grave. 

I stood at the gate, frozen. 

“I’m not going in.” 

“Where will you go?” 

His tone was soft, cruel. 

Chapter 18 

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19 

11:37 Sat, Oct 18 

“To the reporters? 

To your fake name?” 

I lifted my chin, voice shaking. 

“Anywhere is better than here.” 

He stared at me for a long time. 

Then, suddenly, he pulled me forward, 

his arm locking around me. 

“Let me go!” 

“Call it what you want,” he said. 

“Abduction?” 

Chapter 10 

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11:37 Sat, Oct 18